Trade

Trade Bar Fulfills an Obligation to Sell Food With a Hilarious ‘Restaurant Weak’ Menu | Eater DC

"I watched a Logan Circle gay bar wink at the absurdity of D.C.'s COVID-era rule requiring a prepared food item with to-go alcohol by selling a $4.99 "three-course meal" that includes admittedly stale popcorn (one or two days old), a still-wrapped slice of American cheese atop the most "budget conscious" white bread they could find (a cheekily labeled "deconstructed cheese toast" and an ode to the infamous Fyre Festival sandwich), and Little Debbie Zebra Cakes, all handed out in a paper bag as part of the bar's self-styled "Restaurant Weak." The five-year-old spot — known for supersized cocktails and live drag shows — started the snack bags as a cheap, tongue-in-cheek offering and, according to marketing manager Aaron Riggins, chose items that are affordable for both the bar and its customers; the special can be discounted by a dollar some nights. Trade remains primarily a drinks-focused operation with strong, batched cocktails (to-go drinks are placed in drink holders inside the paper bag), an XL nightly happy hour (5–8 p.m.) with extra-large cocktails, $5 beer and wine, and $15 pitchers, plus limited dine-in service including a 25-seat patio and 90-minute seatings; reopening for carryout in mid-May and limited dine-in in June has allowed it to operate daily, stream virtual Pride and fundraising events to raise about $10,000 for performers, and attract new patrons, even from nearby closed venues." - Tierney Plumb